The Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH) joined today with the Oklahoma Academy for State Goals, the State Chamber, and the Oklahoma Turning Point Council to announce 92 award winners in the 2007 Oklahoma Certified Healthy Business Program. The announcement came as part of this week’s Tenth Annual Oklahoma Turning Point Council Forum held at the University of Central Oklahoma, George Nigh Center, in Edmond.

The Oklahoma Certified Healthy Business Program recognizes Oklahoma businesses that provide health and wellness opportunities, and are working to improve the health status of Oklahomans. To be certified, businesses must meet specific criteria, including providing employee health screenings, workplace health and nutrition education, opportunities for physical exercise activities, management support for healthy workplace environments, tobacco use prevention activities, and sharing wellness activities within their respective communities. Twenty-two businesses were selected this year to receive Certificates of Excellence, 51 Certificates of Merit were awarded, and 19 businesses received Certificate awards.

The program was initiated in 2003 and currently has certified 383 businesses through 2007. Categories include: small workplaces of 1-25 employees, medium workplaces of 26-100 employees, large workplaces of 101- 999 employees, and corporate workplaces of 1,000 or more employees. Education is a separate category.

Oklahoma’s Turning Point Council was created in 1998 and is acknowledged as a national model for involving the efforts of organizations, communities and consumers to maintain and improve the health of Oklahoma’s citizens.

The 2007 Oklahoma Certified Healthy Business Awards of Excellence are: